Instantly, the Prince, who, was waiting for his wife's call before he got his father's call, jumped out of his bed. He dressed up quickly and walked to Mirabel's chamber, and met her Knight and maids. Then, he instructed, “Inform the Princess that the King wished to see her immediately.”
“We will do that right away, my Prince,” one of the maids answered, and the Knight walked towards the Princess's room, while the Prince left for his parents' chamber.
At Mirabel's Room.
From the event, she returned to her room very exhausted, both physically and emotionally.
“I need to undress,” she informed her maids, who walked her to her chamber.
“It is noted, your Majesty,” they responded, and helped her to unpin her voluminous half-up, half-down hairstyle. Afterward, they loosened the lace of her floor length wine colored ball gown, and she pulled her legs.
“Thank you, for your help,” she appreciated, and laid on her bed with her undergarments.
“You are welcome, your Majesty,” the maids appreciated and gathered the heavy ball gown, and walked away. Nevertheless, the thought that she kissed a man on a stage of over ten thousand people, both physical and online, was unimaginable.
“How can he do this to me in the public, especially in the presence of my family?” She thought while tossing and turning on the bed. To her disturbance, she could not hate Alfred or could she agree with herself, that she would not love to kiss him again. All the same, she cursed, “Repulsive handsome dunce.”
Subsequently, she sat up, and headed to the bathroom for a soothing shower, just to calm her nerves and aching body. Suddenly, her phone beeped with a message, and she halted and picked it. To her bewilderment, she had missed numerous calls, and had several messages.
“Oh my God,” she exclaimed, and pressed the message button. Then, she read through the congratulatory messages, and shook her head in disappointment, “My clients thought that the proposal was real. How do I make them know that it was just a make – believe, and Alfred went overboard?”
After going through some messages, she ignored the rest which she assumed had the same content as the ones she had read, and refused to call the callers back. Then, she put her phone away, and walked to the bathroom. The shower was a relief to her, and she returned to her bed thereafter. Now, she sat on the mirror stool, and admired herself. To her delight, the puffy eyes that she usually had whenever she was distressed, were not there.
“Does that mean that I'm not distressed?” She asked herself. She picked up her phone, and clicked on her gallery to see what she looked like at the event, especially on the red carpet. To her perplexity, the video that Carson shared with her, popped up. She furrowed her brow, and punched on it. Howbeit, the video was her very first kiss with a charming young man. She was captivated by the video to the end, and she had to watch it over and again, until she was distracted by the doorbell rang. She looked at the door, and inquired, “Who is there?”
“It's me, Your Majesty,” her Knight responded.
“Oh, Greg. Any challenge?”
“Not at all, but the Prince said that the King wished to see you immediately.”
She felt uneasy, and furrowed her forehead in wonderment. Likewise, she looked at the wall clock, and it was a few minutes to 11 PM.
“I will be out shortly,” she responded. Then, she took another look at the video, and smiled sarcastically before she turned it off. Likewise, she walked to her wardrobe and put on her casual wear. Thereafter, she walked out of her room, and her Knight bowed.
“You can close for the day,” she ordered Greg, and he bowed again, and left. To avoid keeping the King waiting, she walked quickly through the courtyard, and soon, she was at the door. She walked into the parlor, and was surprised to meet the Prince. She looked at the gloomy faces of the Queen and King, before she looked at the Prince, who had a reassuring look. Then, she bowed, and greeted, “Long live, my King. Long live, my Queen, and my Prince.”
They gave her a dry smile, and waited for the King's response.
“You may rise, my daughter,” the worried king said. Although, Mirabel was glad that he still recognized her as a daughter, but his tone and expression were disturbing.
“Thank you, my father,” she thanked, and got up. However, she looked around for a seat, but the only available one was beside the Prince.
On the Road
Carson's staff members left the event center after arranging their entertainment instruments in the cars, and were set to drive off. To the secretary's pleasure, Carson's assistant, who was conversant with his car, got behind the wheels, and they moved in convoy. Soon, the three cars – two sport utility vehicles and a van were out of the event center, and joined the road. At that point, there was a very severe traffic congestion, and it slowed down their speed. After about thirty minutes of delay, they got out of the traffic, and veered towards the Industrial Area of the Gilmore Group of Companies, which housed Carson's office. Due to the number of the vehicles that left the event center at the same time, the staff members did not notice that a Hilux Van had been tailing them for the past ten minutes.
“I will see how he would perform again in this city,” one of the disgruntled occupants of the Hilux Van stated.
“Of course he will not. Today would be the end of him. How can he just wake up, and venture into entertainment without consulting us.”
“Move,” one of them ordered the driver. By their estimation, Carson, who they thought was in his car, did not move with guards, so, getting him, would not be tasking. Besides, their Hilux Van was stronger than his SUV. At the command, the driver moved closer, and hit Carson's car. The effect panicked the PA, and he looked through the rearview mirror, and discovered that the driver was intentional. Then, he closed up with the team, and drove on.
“Is he drunk?” The vigilant PA mumbled. After a few seconds, the driver hit his car again, and the PA concluded that it was deliberate, and resolved to defend himself and his team members. Unknown to the predator, there was an improvised explosive device in the car, and the PA, who was familiar with the car, triggered at once, and incapacitated his assailants. Without waiting to know the outcome of his command, he honked his horn to alert his team members, and they accelerated. Soon, they were at the Industrial Complex.
Nevertheless, Carson and his team, had left the event center too, and headed to Pearl's hostel.
“I doubt that this will continue,” Carson pointed out, after he got out of the car with Pearl.
“What do you mean?” Pearl asked anxiously.
“I can't keep bringing you back to the hostel, instead of taking you to my house,” he explained. Pearl laughed softly, and responded, “I feel the same way. Maybe we won't wait until after my graduation before we get married.”
“We will think about it,” he remarked, and gave her a parting kiss.
“Good night, my dear.”
“Good night. See you later.”